Can opener



0. F. BERGMAN CAN OPENER Aug. 7, 1923. 1,464,167

Filed Aug. 26, 1918 owns Z33 l atented ring '3,

error e. sandman, or sens, Inn inn,

NOR, BY I'YZESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ASS

JOHN E. NIGKENETA, D1" A1 1161-0, WISCONSIN.

orsiinze.

Application filed leueust 26, 1918. erial No. 251,377.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Own F. Bnnsnmn, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Gary, in the county oi Lakeand State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can @peners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in can openers. The object of the invention is to provide a construction which is more rugged and durable than those used heretofore.

In the accompanying drawings two enibodirnents of the invention are ilius'rated.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form oi device showing it being lifted from the can, from which a circular disc has been cut, leaving a smooth, round openingin th top of the can. i

Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation through the can opener.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3+8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a bottom plan view of the device, and

F 5 is a sectional elevation of another form of th invention;

In ig. 1 the can 1 is'shown with a circular opening in the top thereof caused by the removal of the disc Qwhich is lifted with the can opener 3. Said canopener comprises a sheet metal housing 4 having downwardly extending flange 5 of larger diameter than the upper portion. A base plate 6 is securely fastened to said housing by means of pins 7, the upper portions of which constitute'rivets, the lower portions being sharpened to provide spikesor spurs which may be readily forced through the top of the can to prevent turning of the can opener when it is being used. Said base plate 6 is made preferably otheavy sheet m tal of a width less than the diameter of the cap and provided with apair of integral lugs 8 which are stru ck'upwardly at right angles and have openings therein, thereby provid ing bearings for the shaft 9. Said shaft passes through an opening 10 in the sine the housing and is bent to form a crank having a handle 11 at one end thereof. The other end 120i? said. shatt is sop a d and has a pinion 13 t iereon whereby saidpirr ion may be rotated by said crank.

the two pinions.

A larger pinion or gear 14 is also provided, the shape of a circular piece of sheet metal having a. ring of perforations 15 there in, the teeth of the pinion 13 meshing with said openings whereby the smaller pinion may rotate the larger pinion about its pivot 16. Said pivot consists of pin, the upper portion of which constitutes a rivet for bold ing the pinion id to the base plate 6, and the lower portion of which is sharpened to provide a spur which is pressed through the top of the can to center, the can opener and to provide means for. subsequently removing the circular piece of metal cut from the top of the can. The middle portion of said pivot pin is of reduced diameter whereby the lower end is in the form of an enlarged head which enables the said circular piece to be removed with the can opener inst ad of dropping into the can.

The pinion 14 is provided with a knife 17, which knife is preferably an integral portion thereof and is struck up at right angles thereto and provided with a double cutting ed e whereby the pinion may be rotated and the cut may be made in either direction.

In using the device the operator simply presses the can opener downwardly against the top of the can and holds it in place, the three sharp spurs and the knife blade penetrating the. top of the can. The crank is then rotated whereupon the knife blade is caused to travel in a circular path about the central f in, cutting smooth disc of metal from the top of the can and leaving a smooth, round opening, the piece of metal cut out being removed with the can opener when the latter is lifted.

With the structure described it will be seen that a powerful leverage is obtained by virtue of the crank and the relative sizes of Furthermore, the said crank has its hearings in the upward extensions constituting part'or" the base plate to which base plate the large pinion is directly secured, thereby minimizing distortion of the structure due to the very considerable stresses to which the canopener is subjected when in operation. The width of the base plate 6 is such that a suitable clearance is provided between the lug 8 and the adjacent wall of the housing, said pinion projecting downwardly past said base plate without interfering therewith. Furthermore, rotation of the base plate is prevented by thev spurs'l, which are also riveted directly thereto. Substantially all the stresses incident. to the rotation of the knife are, therefore, taken up directly by said base plate as distinguishedfrom said cover, the latter constituting merely a housing and affording a convenient structure for the operator to hold when pressing the device down against the can.

.It will be noted that the pivot pin 16 is rigidly secured to the base plate 6, being riveted thereto. Said pin also supports the large pinion 14, which latter, however, turns freely about said pin. The construction is such that when the can opener is forced down against the top of the can, the upward thrust or said pin, as it is being forced through the top of the can, is taken directly by said base plate and without danger of loosening said pin. The shaft 9 is. positioned by the small pinion 13, which is riveted thereto and which meshes with the openings in. the larger pinion, the engagement of said pinions serving, therefore, to position said shaft. Sufficient clearance is provided between the small pinion and the housing 3 to prevent interference.

In Fig. 5 a second form of the device is illustrated, consisting of the housing 18 and having an extensive, downwardly-extending, flaring flange 19 of such size as to fit over the outside of the can 20 which is to be opened. The structure otherwise is substantially the same as that previously described as is indicated by the use of the same reference characters. This modified form of deviceis particularly adapted for use with cans which are all of the same diameter, in which case the flaring flange 19 causes the can opener to take a firm frictional hold on the can without necessitating the use of spurs as in the first form of the device. The knife may also be located at the maximum distance from the center pivot whereby the opening cut in the top of the can may be nearly as large as the internal diameter of the can. The depending flange also serves to properly center the pivot pin, as a result of which, practically the entire top of the can is removed, leaving a smooth, round opening of such a character that the can may be subsequently refilled and used again by supplying a new top.

Various other changes may be made in the structure as described without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. f

What I claim is 1. A can opener comprising a stationary supporting member, a crank supported thereby, a pinion having a cutting knife thereon also supported by sa1d' supporting member, a pinion mounted on said crank and arranged to mesh with said first pinion, and a housing associated with said parts.

2. A can opener comprising a supporting plate, a cutting member pivoted thereto, means for rotating said cutting member, said means being also supported by said plate, and a housing for said rotating means also carried by said plate, said housing constituting means enabling the operatorto hold; the device in place.

' 3. A can opener comprising a base plate, a housing secured thereto, means for preventing rotation of said base plate, integral lugs on said base plate having openings therein, a shaft journaled in said openings, a pinion on said shaft, a center pivot carried by said base plate and a pinion arranged'to rotate about said pivot first pinionl 7 4. A can openercomprising a base plate, a housing therefor, rivets securing said housing to said base, plate, said rivets having sharpened ends constituting spurs, members projecting at right angles from' said base plate having openings therein, a cran shaft passing through anopening in said housing and rotating in said members, a pinion supported on said shaft and projecting beyond said base plate, a larger pinion arranged in contact with said base plate and in mesh with said first pinion, and a pivot pin securing said pinion to said base. plate and having a sharpened projection constituting a center spur.

5. In a can opener, a housing havingan enlarged lower portion, a. plate secured to said lowerportion and having a widthless than the diameter of said housing, integral and mesh with said lugs arranged at right anglesto said plate,

a crank shaft. passing through openings in said lugs, and a pinion on said crank shaft adjacent, one of said'lugsand projecting between said plate and said housing.

6. A can opener comprising a supporting element having projecting members, means to hold said element against rotation, a shaft journalled in said 1nembers,a handle at one end of said shaft and a pinion at the other end thereof rigidly secured thereto, a rotatable disc also secured to said supporting element, said. disk. having square openings therein with which said pinionv meshes whereby said plate may berotated and may serve to position. said shaft in said projecting members.

In testimony whereof, I- have subscribed my name.

.oLoF-r. BEBGMAN.

Certificate of Correction,

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1, .L6,167, granted August 7, 1923, upon the application of Olof F. Bergman, Gary, Indiana, for an improvement in Can Openers, were erroneously issued to John E. McKenna, of Antigo, VVisconsin, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to Emil A. Spowo'n, and Ralph Slzaddac/c, bot/i of Chicago, Illinois, as assignees, by mes n6 assignments, of the entire interest in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in this ofiice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of October, A. D., 1923.

[SEAL] YVM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Gammissz'oner of Patents. 

